Immigration to the United States in the 19th Century

10 Questions

What was the main reason for the large influx of Latino immigrants to the United States during this time period?

The expansion of trade routes and territorial acquisition by the United States

What did Jos Mart, the 27-year-old political exile from Cuba, do after arriving in New York?

He joined the earliest community of Latinos in New York, Puerto Ricans, and Cubans

Which of the following is true about the influx of Puerto Ricans to the United States during this time period?

They came to the US voluntarily in search of economic opportunities

What was the primary reason that Juan Salvador Villasenor, a Mexican immigrant, came to the United States?

To avoid being drafted into the Mexican army during a violent revolution

What was the overall sentiment expressed by the passage regarding the arrival of Latino immigrants to the United States during this time period?

The US welcomed these immigrants with open arms and provided them with economic opportunities

What was José Martí's initial view of the United States?

He saw it as a model society that Cuba should emulate

What caused José Martí to become disillusioned with the United States?

The racism and economic inequalities he witnessed

What was José Martí's vision for an independent Cuba?

A society for people of all races and economic backgrounds

What role did Cuban cigar workers in Key West and Ybor City play in Martí's revolutionary efforts?

They provided financial support by contributing a day's pay each week

What was José Martí's view of the United States' growing power in relation to Latin America?

He warned that it posed a threat to Latin American sovereignty

Study Notes

Immigration to the United States (1836-1914)

Over 30 million people immigrated to the United States, including a 27-year-old political exile from Cuba, José Martí, who arrived in 1880.

Early Latino Community in New York

The earliest community of Latinos in New York consisted of Puerto Ricans and Cubans who arrived along the trade routes that brought tobacco, coffee, and sugar into the US.

Territorial Expansion and Latino Presence

The huge Latino presence in the United States is a direct result of the nation's territorial expansion.
Tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans came to the US, with more Puerto Ricans in the US than on the island itself.
Nearly 1 million Mexicans came to the US, following the tracks that brought silver and copper to America.

José Martí's Life

José Martí was a romantic, an idealist, and a poet who wrote his first poem at age 15, inspired by the Cuban uprising against Spanish rule.
Martí was tried for treason and sentenced to forced labor, but was exiled from Cuba and wandered the world for 10 years.
He arrived in New York in 1880, where he was venerated as the father of Cuban independence.

Martí's Experience in the United States

Martí came to the US as a safe place to plot for the independence of his country, attracted by the dream of equality and freedom.
He worked as a correspondent for leading South American journals, writing on every aspect of life in America.
He reported on various events, including the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Haymarket Square affair, which gave him insight into American society.
However, he became disillusioned with the US due to racism and inequities, and began to envision a Cuba for people of all races and economic backgrounds.

Martí's Political Activism

Around 1891, Martí changed from an observer to a full-time political actor, launching a speech to summon Cubans to take action for independence.
From the safety of exile, he organized an insurrection and went to Key West and Ybor City, where he founded the Cuban Revolutionary Party and published a newspaper, Patria.
He warned of the threat of America's growing power to Latin America and advocated for Cuban independence.